The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-06
The Colonel's Daughter.
BY EMMA A. OPPER.

Deacon Iolcomb stamped the snow of
his boots and sat down by the kitchen
fire, looking around at the family with
unusual seriousness.
His wife and pretty daughter, Kate,
were chopping meat and pairing apple:
for mince-pie and his tall son,
"Gene," was mending a wash-tub.
Mrs. Holcomb looked at the deacon
sharply, and suspended her chopping'
knife.
Anything the matter2" she said, an1-
lously.
"Nothing very bad," the deacon re-
sponded, looking across the stove at her
affectionately. "You won't think so,
anyhow. l says to Seth and William, 4
know just what she'll say'-meaning
you"
'eWhat on earth are you talking
about2"
"From the Colonel's lawyer" he an
nounced.
-~ "The Colonel was the deacon's half
brother, an elderly eccentric person, who
had died month ago in the small West
ern village where he had lived.
Hasn't turned out to be. worth pile
of money, and left it to US, has he?" said
Gene, gaily.
"Hain't left US no money" said the
deacon. "Hadn't none to leave, l reckon.
I'm ruther a>tonished. The Colonel was
worth considerable along one spell. No
but he's left us something else.'
y "What!" said Kate, eagerly.
ssIt's from his lawyer,,as I says" the
deacon rejoincd, unfolding the letter.
'''And Seth and William got copies of it.
We was all at the postofice when the
mail come, and took 'em out together
It says" he went on, slowly-'and Seth's
and Williams says the very same thing
that it was the Colonel's last wish that
his daughter Malvina should have home
out here, with Seth or William or me.
Hesaid that whoever took her would be
doing an act of charity, and would be
sartain to get rewarded in heaven. And
he wanted us all notified in them words. "
"For the lands sake" said Mrs. Hol-
comb.
"Well," said Gene, going on with the
washtub calmly, "of course uncle Seth is
going to take her2 He's the best able to"
'T ruther expected myself" said the
deacon, hesitatingly, THAT Seth would
step forward in this here crisis; but he
hain't. He said he didn't hardly see how
he could do it. He said Malvina must
be somewhere nigh fifty by this time
and being an old maid, she might be
cantankerous, and Julia Ann mightn't be
able to get along with her. He said
William and me would have to settle it
between US.
"Well, I never!" said Mrs. Holcomb,
indignantly-"him, with all his money
and that big house,"
'What did Uncle William say2" said
Kate. "Now see here, Pa Holcomb !'-
as the deacon's kind eyes fell before her
gaze-'you don't mean to say that he's
going to leave it for you to do-you, the
poorest of them all?"
The deacon moved uneasily.
tI don't want to blame William, "ahe
said, mildly. Il can sec it's just as he
says"
"What did he say?" said Kate, her
black eyes flashing.
"He said he didn't see how he could
take her, nohow," the deacon replied.
"He's building his new barn, and he
don't feel like having any more expense
Just now. And he said he couldn't think
Of boarding people without nothing more
substantial than reward in heaven to
look forward to-"
"He's BRUTE" said Gene, warmly
che and Uncle Seth, both! But you're
not going to let them impose upon you,
father2 Why, neither of them would feel
it; but you-good gracious!"
Gene looked around the bare little
kitchen meaningly.
81 always thought a sight of the
Colonel" said the deacon, looking up at
the cracked ceiling, "though he want
nothing but half-brothcr; and can't
just bring myself to refuse the shelter OF
my house, if it amt much, to any of his
kin. There's where it is"
'.You dear old, silly pa" cried Kate.
And she slammed her apple pan on the
table, rushed around to the deacon's chair
and kissed him violently on the top oi
his bald heal.
"Your pas right, children said Mrs.
Holcomb, resuming her chopping-knife
quietly. 'Tt's our duty, plain as day, to
take the poor creetur."
''There?" said the deacon, triumphantly,
II knew where you'd stand. 1 told Seth
and William so."
''Well," said Gene, rising from tho
wash-tub with good-naturedly despair
ing gesture, "we are to have our Cousin
Malvina, Kate; but we are to give up al
hopes of a college course, and we are to
be married to Mark Hill in the dress we
have on-we shall not be able to scrape
up money enough for a new one by next
spring, with Cousin Malvina on ou1
hands"
He put an arm about his sisters waist,
in mock sympathy, and whirled her laugh
ingly away.
The deacon looked across at his wife
rather soberly.
'I'm afraid it's true enough he said.
'sNo such thing" said Mrs. Holcomb,
briskly. "And s'posing it was3 Mark
Hill would marry her quick enough in hel
old duds, l reckonm
"But 'Gene2" said the deacon, anx
iously. "Mebbe Malvina will make 6
difference about that. And he's set hi:
heart ON getting an education"
sYou didn't have none to speak of!
aid Mls. Holcomb, stoutly, looking 6
:3f1a t,ouhle5 nevertheless